Jordan students pledge to boycott US products

Hundreds of Jordanian students, mainly Islamists, pledged Thursday to boycott \"American and Jewish\" products because of Washington\'s perceived support for Israel in its conflict with the Palestinia

Hundreds of Jordanian students pledged Thursday to boycott US goods because of Washington's perceived support for Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians. The students, mainly Islamists, gathered on the campus of the Jordanian University and raised their hands in a collective oath against "American and Jewish" products.

They carried placards bearing the names of US fast food chains and Jordanian food companies, which are partly Israeli-owned. The students also burned an Israeli flag and shouted slogans in support of the Palestinian uprising.

The Islamist-dominated Professional Union Association and Jordan's opposition parties decided the action at a meeting a week before. "We plan to boycott US products, such as hamburgers, soft drinks and even medicine that have a substitute produced in Jordan and Arab countries," said Saleh Armuti, who also heads the Bar Association.

"Of course we are realistic and know that we cannot boycott everything so we will meet to draw up a list of the products that do have a substitute," he said. He also said similar moves will be taken by nationalistic and Islamist groups in Lebanon, Egypt and other Arab countries as a sign of support for the Palestinian uprising against Israel.

Some shops in Amman have already put up signs asking consumers to boycott US trademark products such as Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola and fast-food from restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King — establishments that are fully operated by Jordanians.

Anti-Israeli feeling has been high in Jordan — which has a peace treaty with Israel since 1994 — and professional unions, Islamists and opposition parties have spearheaded many anti-Israeli protests and public rallies since the start of the violence in the Palestinian territories on September 28. — (AFP, Amman)